Container for photographic plates



W. RABKIN CONTAINER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES July 19, 1949;

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 16, 194'? f @0 t v INVENTCR MILE/1 RHBMV ATTORN EY July 19, 1949. w. RABKIN 2,476,767

CONTAINER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES Filed Oct. 16, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A mzfl 1C- 7 I ATTO R N EY I "2w INVENTOR Patented July 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES William Rabkin, New York, N. Y.

Application October 16, 1947, Serial No. 780,261

3 Claims.

This invention relates to containers which serve for the storage and shipment of photographic plates, as well as plate-dispensing magazines in automatic cameras.

The containers with which the present invention is concerned are adapted for automatic cameras of the type disclosed in the co-pending application of Rabkin et al., Serial No. 689,178, filed August 8, 1946. This apparatus is provided with a rotary turret removably carrying a plurality of containers each of which serves as a magazine for a supply of photographic plates, and a device, including a test finger associated with each magazine, for indexing the turret to bring a loaded magazine to a plate-discharge station when the plate supply in another magazine at the latter station is exhausted and the associated test finger is in consequence thereof permitted to enter its associated magazine.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide containers of the above kind which are adapted for quick and facile mounting on the turret of an automatic camera of the referred type in unfailing correct association with their respective fingers.

An example of a container of the above kind is disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,286,010, dated February 9, 1942, and comprises a light-proof casing which, when fully loaded with plates and until mounted for the discharge of plates therefrom, is closed at the plate-discharge end thereof by a removable cover. This cover is customarily held in place by a paper strip or wrapper which is cemented to adjacent portions of the casing and cover and completely surrounds the dividing line between them for light-sealing purposes. The plates in the fully loaded casing are retained therein, even after the removal of the cover therefrom, by a string which traverses the discharge end of the casing and is anchored with its ends on the outside of the latter to permit its facile removal from the casing when the plates are to be released for discharge.

It is another important object of the present invention to extend the plate-retaining string on the casing and apply the extension as a drawstring with which to tear the paper wrapper for removal of the cover without, however, releasing the plates for discharge from the casing.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanyin illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a container embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is another fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of the container as viewed in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary illustration of the container with the sides thereof laid out in a common plane;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the cover removed from the container;

Fig. 5 is another elevational view, partly in section, of the container with its cover removed;

Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation of the container viewed the same as in Fig. 1 with the cover removed, however;

Figs. 8 and 9 are other fragmentary elevational views of the container with its cover removed and as viewed in the direction of the arrows 8 and 9, respectively, in 'Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section through the container taken on the line l 0-! 0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 illustrates part of the above-mentioned photographic camera in which a plurality of the present containers are mounted to serve as magazines for the discharge therefrom of the contained photographic plates; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the line l2l2 of Fig. 11.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 thereof, the reference numeral 20 designates a container which contains a supply of stacked photo-sensitized plates 22. The instant container 20 is preferably formed throughout of cardboard or any other suitable material, and comprises a hollow tube 26 having the walls 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d. The tube 26 is, in the present instance, of the rectangular cross-section shown in Fig. 6 so that the correspondingly shaped plates 22 will fit therein. The open top-end 28 of the tube 26 is closed by a cap 30 which is preferably cemented or otherwise secured to the tube 26 in light-sealing relation therewith. The lower or plate-discharge end 32 of the tube 26 is normally closed by a removable cover 34 having a circumferential depending flange 36 that fits over the adjacent tube end in substantial light-sealing relation therewith. The tube 26 is provided near its discharge end 32 with an outer circumferential collar 38 which is formed by a cemented layer of cardboard or the like, and serves a purpose which will become obvious hereinafter. The photographic plates 22 are stacked in the container 20 3 with their sensitized faces uppermost, i. e., facing toward the top end 28 of the container.

As previously mentioned, the instant container serves not only for the storage and shipment of photographic plates, but also as a magazine in an automatic camera of the type referred to. Hence, these containers may, at the factory and under expert supervision, be loaded with photosensitized plates 22 and then sealed at the discharge end thereof, whereupon the loaded and sealed containers may be stored away or shipped to a distributor or directly to the consumer for installation in an automatic camera.

Provisions are made on the container for retaining the stack of photographic plates 22 therein, even after the cover 34 is removed and until such time as the container, after installation as a magazine in a camera, is conditioned for the discharge of the plates therefrom. To this end, a string 44 (Fig. 10) is passed through opposite holes 46 and 48 in the tube 26, and is anchored with one end 50 on the outside of the tube wall 24d by a staple 52 (Fig. 9), and with an intermediate portion 54 on the opposite tube wall 24b by a staple 56 (Fig. 8). and 56 are driven into the tube 26, and more particularly into the collar 38, from the outside thereof; The string end 59 is knotted as at 58 iFig; 9-)-- so that it may not be drawn through the staple 52 when pulling the string on the opposite side of the staple, and the string portion 54 is tied to the staple 56 in the manner shown in Fig. 8; thus firmly holding the string 44 in the disposition shown in Fig. 10 in which the length of the string traversing the interior of the tube 26 prevents the gravity discharge of the plates 22 from the latter.

The loaded containers 20 are sealed at the discharge end 32- thereof by applying the cover 34, and then wrapping a strip 6!] of paper or the like completely around adjoining portions of the tube collar 38 and cover 34 and securing it thereto, as by cementing, for instance. The wrapper 60' thus applied completely covers the dividing line 62 between the tube collar 38 and the cover Provisions are also made for the quick and facile removal of the sealed: cover 34' from the container prior to. installation of the latter as a magazine into anautomatic camera. To this end, the string 44 is continued beyond the staple -to serve as a drawstring 63 which, prior to V the: application of the sealing wrapper to the container 20 and cover 34, is led from the.- staple 56 to" the. lower cover 64 of the tube collar 38 (Fig. 3), where it is placed into the partition or dividing gap 66 between the tube collar 38 and. the closed cover 34 and extends throughout this gap. The drawstring 63: is led out. of the dividing gap 66 at the lower corner 64 of the tube. collar 38 where it is passed over the adjacent portion of the drawstring and upwardly along the collar 38 in the slanting fashion shown in Fig. 3. The free end ill of the drawstring 63 is preferably releasably anchored on the tube collar 38 by means of a tab 12 of gummed paper or the like, which is placed over the string. end 10 and cemented to the tube collar 38. The drawstring. 63 passes over the outer portions of the plate-holding string 44, so that the drawstring 63 may, after the string end 10 is torn filoin its holding tab 12, be drawn from the dividing gap 55. without interference from the plateholding string 44. After the drawstring 63 is applied to the closed container 20 as described, the

The staples 52 sealing wrapper 60 is applied in the previously described manner, whereby care is taken that the wrapper 60 completely covers the string on the outside of the container, except the string end it! which serves as a convenient handle for the draw string.

In order to install a loaded container 20 into the automatic camera referred to, the cover 34 will have to be. removed. To. accomplish this, the sealing wrapper 60 is first torn along the dividing gap 68 between the tube collar 38 and the closed cover 34, by simply grasping the end it of the drawstring and pulling the latter outwardly away from the container. The cover 34 r is then removed from the container, and the latter may be thereafter mounted in the camera in an upright disposition while the plate-holding string 44 prevents the gravity discharge of the plates 22 until such time as this string is removed from the mounted container 26. To release the plates 22 for gravity discharge from the container 20, the string 44 may be severed at the point 1) (Fig. 9), and then withdrawn from the container by simply'gr-asping the loose drawstring E53 and pulling the staple 56 from tube collar 38.

The lower or discharge end of the container 29 is notched at 88 at two diagonallyopposite corners thereof (see particularly Fig. 6) for apurpose to be described presently. As previously mentioned, the instant container is also adapted as a magazine in an automatic camera of the type disclosed in the before-mentioned copending application, Serial No. 689,178. More particularly, this camera comprises a base or main table 99 (Figs. 11 and 12 onwhieh is mounted for rotation about the axis a: a-turret 92-, removably carrying a plurality, in the present instance three, equi-angularly spaced containers 2'8. More particularly, each mounted-- container 28 fits with itslower end 94' in a tubular socket 95 in the turret 92. Each tubular socket $6 is formed by three walls 98- of'the turret and by a removable side wall or cover lflli'whi ch fits into the turret in the manner shown in Fig. 11, and is releasablyretained therein by spring u-rged collars m2 on hand levers I04 when engaging adjacent lugs IBB on the cover I913. The hand levers Hi4 are pivotally mounted at I68 on the turret 92 so as to. be swingabl'e outwardly into positions in which the associated cover IE6 is released for lateral removal from the turret for the purpose of removing or replacing a container 26. Each mounted container 2U rests with its peripheral shoulder 2- (Figs. 6 and 12) on the level top edges of the sidewalls 98 and associated cover H18, and isthus axially held in position in its socket 96 aswell as effectively sealed against light from the outside. In Fig. 11, container 20A is shown at a plate-discharge station S, while the other containers 20 are remote therefrom and their lowermost plates 2-2 rest on the plane top surface H6 of the base 9-3; Iience, the discharge ends of the mounted containers 23 in the turret 92 extend substantially to the top surface H6 of the base 90. The periphery of the turret 92 is undercut as at H8 (Fig. 12) to receive the inner margin l-Zfl of an apertured light-sealing plate I2 2 on the base The base 90 is provided at the discharge station S with a plate-transfer groove or track l2-4 of such width as to receive the lowermost plate 22 from the container 20A thereabove. As shown in Fig. 12, the plate-transfer track i24 is of a depth to receive only the lowermost plate 22" from the container A, the next lowermost plate 22" being still within the confines of said container. Suitable mechanism (not shown) is provided for feeding the lowermost plate 22' in the transfer track I24 away from the discharge station S in the direction of the arrow I28 (Fig. 11) so as to permit the next lowermost plate 22" to descend onto the track I 24 for its subsequent transfer away from the station S. Thus, the stacked photographic plates 22 in the magazine 20A are discharged therefrom one by one for their subsequent exposure until the magazine is exhausted. When this occurs, the turret 92 is indexed so as to bring the magazine 20B, for instance, to the discharge station S, and after this magazine 20B is exhausted, the turret 92 may again be indexed in the same direction in order to bring the magazine 20C to the discharge station S.

Provisions are made in the camera for automatically indexing the turret when a magazine 20 at the discharge station S is exhausted. These provisions are fully described in the referred copending application, Serial No. 689,178 and, hence, require no further description here, particularly since the same form no part of the present invention. For an understanding of the purpose of the diagonally opposite notches 80 in the discharge end of a container 20, it is suflicient to understand that the turret-indexing provisions include for each mounted magazine a test finger I30 (Figs. II and 12) which is pivotally mounted at I32 in a recess I34 in the bottom of the turret. The test finger I30 for any of the mounted magazines 20 is, when the latter is at the discharge station S, urged into the interior of the adjacent magazine 20 through one of the notches 80 thereof every time a plate 22 is moved in the track I24 away from the discharge station S. However, as long as the magazine at the discharge station S contains any plates, the associated test finger I30 may not enter the same because it is stopped by the lowermost plate 22 therein in the manner shown in Fig. 12. However, when the last plate 22 has left the magazine at the discharge station S, the associated test finger I30 is then free to enter the confines of the exhausted magazine, and in doing so renders the automatic turret-indexing device operative for one indexing step so as to bring the next magazine 20B to the discharge station S. In this manner, the camera does not require reloading with plates when the magazine is exhausted, but the same may function uninterruptedly until the plate supply of all the magazines is exhausted. Inasmuch as the containers are rectangular in cross section, and since their lower ends are provided with diagonally opposite, identical notches 80, it is physically impossible incorrectly to mount a magazine 20.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A light-proof container for photographic plates, comprising a casing member holding a supply of orderly arranged plates and being open on one side, a removable cover member therefor, staples driven into opposite external portions of said casing member, a string having a length traversing the vopen side of said casing member and being secured to said staples to retain the plates in said casing member, and another length beyond one of said staples serving as a drawstring and extending externally of said members along and completely around the division between said casing member and the closed cover member thereon, and a wrapper of tearable material secured to said members externally thereof and covering said drawstring except the free end thereof.

2. A light-proof container for photographic plates, comprising a casing member holding a supply of orderly arranged plates and being open on one side, a removable cover member therefor, staples driven into opposite external portions of said casing member, a string having a length extending across the open side of said casing member, an intermediate portion tied to one of said staples, and one end passing under the other staple and being knotted therebeyond thereby holding said string length in place on said casing member to retain the plates in the latter, and another string length beyond said intermediate portion serving as a drawstring and extending externally of said members along and completely around the division between said casing member and the closed cover member thereon, and a wrapper of tearable material secured to said members externally thereof and covering said drawstring except the free end thereof.

3. A photographic plate container adapted for storage and shipment and also as a magazine in an automatic camera having a mounting socket therefor and a movable control finger to enter a mounted exhausted magazine when no longer obstructed by a plate therein, said container comprising a casing holding a supply .of orderly arranged plates and having an open plate-discharge end, said casing being of such cross-sectional shape as to fit with its discharge end in said socket in certain dispositions therein only, and having, in its discharge end, notches so disposed that the control finger may enter the mounted casing through either one of said notches depending on the disposition of the casing in the mounting socket, and a removable cover over said notched discharge end of the casing to seal the interior of the latter against light.

WILLIAM RABKIN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Rabkin Sept. 17, 1940 Number 

